TOURISM STRATEGY AND INNOVATION - 2027/8

Module Overview

This module aims to develop students' ability to explore and evaluate concepts and applications of strategy and innovation in tourism management and operations. It aims to explore strategic innovation as a dimension of the overall strategic management of a firm/destination where innovation is embedded in comprehensive attempts to maintain competitiveness. It is designed to explore real world case studies of innovation as a strategic approach applied by organisations and policymakers at global, national and destination levels and at different managerial and strategic climates. The module will equip students with the critical skills to evaluate the successful/unsuccessful implementation of tourism strategy and innovation.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

FONT Xavier (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes: -Strategic innovation as a key dimension of strategic management -Strategy and innovation processes and tools -Strategic innovation initiatives I Government: clusters, entrepreneurial policies, Smart Destinations. -Strategic innovation initiatives II Innovation strategies a at destination level (case study Theme parks) and -Innovation partnerships and open innovation (innovation ecosystems, Innovation Living Labs) -Strategic innovation initiatives III: Innovation strategies at sector level (case study of the aviation industry) -Entrepreneurship as a means to promote tourism innovation: entrepreneurial ecosystems (start-ups, accelerator, incubators, etc.). -Innovation strategies at different strategic climates: innovation as a response to radical changes or crisis (necessity driven) versus incremental cumulative innovation processes (opportunity driven). -Strategic implementation: How an organisation / destination puts its strategy and innovation into practice including evaluation. The implementation gap and barriers to successful innovation/strategy achievement.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Alternative assessment will be adjusted according to students' individual needs as acknowledged by the university' D&N team, on a case by case basis. 

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• Ability to relate the theories of strategy and innovation to the tourism practice at a corporate, policy or destination levels.
• Ability to critically analyse and evaluate the theories and disciplines that underpin strategy and innovation in tourism

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

Analyse your chosen organisation and its current context. Identify the most important drivers of change (STEEP) shaping its future, focusing on uncertainty, tensions, and risks rather than description. Demonstrate clear understanding of the system (market, stakeholders, business model) and prioritise what matters most. This stage should not be a general overview but a selective, analytical foundation that directly informs your scenarios. Strong work highlights key uncertainties and begins to show how different futures might emerge from today¿s conditions.

Develop two contrasting 2035 scenarios based on key uncertainties, then propose strategic options for each. Compare these across scenarios to identify robust, fragile, and no-regrets strategies. Focus on what works under uncertainty, not just what is attractive. From this, define capability priorities (what the organisation must learn, build, or change) and conclude with one clear strategic recommendation for the next two years. Strong work shows judgement, prioritisation, and the ability to think like decision-makers facing uncertain futures.

Feedback on student performance during the module includes use of review questions and case studies review of student presentations on their strategies chosen for assessment, verbal feedback in lectures/tutorials, peer-review opportunities, Q&A sessions on the assignment.

Module aims

• To develop knowledge of the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of tourism strategy and innovation
• To enable students to explore the interconnectedness between strategy and innovation and the outcomes related to it
• To develop a critical understanding of innovation as a strategic approach for organisations and policymakers at global, national and destination levels and at different managerial and strategic climates (e.g., necessity-driven vs opportunity driven)
• To apply the theoretical models of strategy and innovation to real world case studies
• To develop a critical understanding of the opportunities and barriers to influence the successful implementation of tourism
  strategy and innovation

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy consists of weekly lectures and interactive tutorials. To prepare for lectures and tutorials each week, students will receive topic specific materials (e.g., videos, case studies, papers, etc.) to independently prepare before the lecture and tutorials. Post lecture, students will receive guiding questions to reflect on, and consolidate their learning.

These activities provide an opportunity for the theoretical background already established in earlier parts of the course to be understood within the broader concept of strategy and innovation. explore the gap between theory and practice in tourism using case studies and an appropriate use of AI. This will provide an opportunity to apply theories and concepts to chosen case studies provide opportunities for the students to explore, develop and evaluate the issues individually and in collaboration and discussion with peers, lecturers and visiting speakers

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN3233

Other information

This module adopts the university curriculum framework which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities:

Global and Cultural Capabilities: The module revolves around strategic innovation as part of the overall strategic management of firms and destinations from a global perspective. Students will develop an understanding of the influence of different global and intercultural settings in the management of destinations and firms since we will draw on case studies at a global, national and destination level and different managerial and strategic levels. Since students are from different countries with diverse cultural backgrounds, class discussions and seminar exercises will be used to reinforce students global and cultural capabilities.

Digital Capabilities: Teaching and learning materials are provided in several formats, and students are encouraged to use discussion boards for communication. Students will be provided instruction on digital literature review searches that support their development of independent learning and successful assessment preparation. Students will use the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), SurreyLearn, GenAI platforms, video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to facilitate learning. These include accessing teaching and learning materials and engaging with their instructors, peers and guest speakers, and using GenAI as a tool to further analyse the content provided in class and test their understanding of concepts.

Employability: Guest lecturers and managers of destinations/firms will present up-to-date insights of their innovation strategies to allow students to have the opportunity to learn directly from real world managers. Students will gain knowledge on current case studies of strategic management oriented to innovation and will be taught to critically evaluate the outcomes and difficulties faced by these strategies. They will also learn what strategies can be developed to overcome the difficulties. All these skills can be transferred to various situations at future workplaces, including problemsolving tasks. Observing other managers actions can inspire and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit of the students.

Sustainability: This module motivates students to critically evaluate the success factors and the management difficulties of the real-life implementation of actions/ideas leading to success or failure through case studies analysis and class discussions. Students will be guided in developing recommendations to overcome barriers to successfully implement strategies so they can be sustainable in the long term and reflect on how innovation and strategy can lead to more sustainable firms and destinations.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: The assessment strategy comprises an individual coursework. Through this strategy, this module empowers students to build their critical insights into the assessment and create spaces for students to reflect on their own. In class there would be mini presentations of case studies made by the students and this will support students in developing presentation and public speaking skills. Also, students are motivated to make informed decisions from a range of options as to which aspect of their work they would like to request feedback. The critical nature of the in-class discussion.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2027/8 academic year.